new boots for me- Boot fitting and where to start

So I have received a newer pair for me used pair of ski boots- a step down in shell size and closer to 1 1/2 half finger fit, (Tecnica Icon XR's if it matters with the Hotform liners.) These boots are a step up in flex from what I was using in boots. I tried them on and there are a few hot spots up around the toes with the front buckles pretty tight. Also a slight bit of heel movement at a full flex, but they have 4 heel inserts that are not installed right now. I had the same thing in my old boots around the toe area and the closest shop with knowledge and experience heated the shell and punched out the area around the 6th toe and big toe to get them comfortable. I have custom footbeds that I will be moving into these boots also for a stable platform, and my old boots I did have a heel lift under the shell that I played with and did myself a few years into using them. That I have not tried any heel stuff yet in the new boots- only the footbeds.


I have searched the old threads on heating/reheating the liners too and it is not anything I have ever done, nor do I want to ruin a good pair of liners doing it myself.

3 things I want with the newer boots- comfortable boots- resolving the hot spots, similar forward lean (so I am not back seat- I played with that before with the help of an knowledgable instructor for a few weeks, and can probably do the same today with comparison), and I'd like to be measured for the canting. I have shoes that the heel wears on the outside more than the inside (and left foot worst than the right) and have never been plum lined from the knee or similar to see if I need to have any canting done or if the boot cants would be better one way or the other. It was some trial and error on the old boots and I ended up back at the middle position seeming to be the spot.

These boots have the heatable liners, so my question is should I go to a shop and have them handle the full fitting including reheating the linersas the first step? Then address the hot spots if any. If so would be better to have one of the shops that handle Tecnica boots or just be a good fitter? Many of the threads on reheating or initial heating state just go ski in the boots first and then worry about the heating after some time in them. I assume they were heated once for the previous owner. I assume there is nothing special about reheating the liner with the right equipment that any good shop should have, nothing that is Tecnica specific, right?

The reason I ask is the 3 shops that I know of their reputations and are Tecnica dealers are about 100 miles or more away, the 4th shop that I went and had my existing boots worked on is only 45 miles away. This guy charged me like $10 or something very reasonable to handle the punches - total time maybe 1/2 hour with the trying on of the boots etc. (that was about 6 years back though so rates may not be the same today). What would the typical boot fitting only run assuming the standard punch or grind of a few areas and not much cant work required (I know this will vary greatly by the area of the country and shop rates though)? Would I be better off to ask up front how the shops would each would charge- by the hour or by the number of adaptions made?

I am willing to pay for the knowledge and experience but do not want to end up with too high of a bill, so may do things a little at a time.

1.5 fing fit.

is that under 1/2 inch? if yes good, then go ahead, if not, find smaller boots.

any heel lift now, will only get worse as the boot packs out.

dont bother with the heating, it just speeds up the pack out that the boots will do from skiiing anyways, no magic. If you do have it done, any store can do it, but again just ski.

have you skied the boots? again ski them before punching/grinding etc. The fit will change a lot with skiing them
2-4 punches, all in different spots = $50ish
upper cuff alingment ("canting"is done to the bottom of a boot) $20ish

As for the inch, maybe a little more, depending on where you measure, right at the sole without the footbed inserted or the achilles about a half inch up. 2 fingers fit index and middle crossed (not sideways).

I have not skied them yet, I have to get the bindings adjusted for the shorter sole and 2nd reason- the conditions on the East coast have been terrible, did not even head out on Tuesday - my normal day due to mostly rain here in town, brown patches on the 6 trails open on the local hill, less than 1/3 of the area.

The skiing right now would be painful unless I do not buckle the bottom 2 or just buckle them very loose. Thanks for the reply MtLion I was hoping you would chime in on this topic.